Portable electrical apparatus



Dec. 18, 1934. c. v. DAME PORTABLE ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21, 1933 jflViifO? ar/e; Zia/We Jifarzzqy Patented Dec. 18, 1934 U'NIF-T Ego s AT Es 1.984398 PORTABLE ELECTRICAL Charles Vance Dame,- Lanark, wlll'r ApplicationOctober-1 21, 1933; Serial No. 694,581 g 3 Claims. 1 (c1. arc-59) This invention relates to improvements in portable electric apparatus. 3

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 533,- 854, filed April 29, 1931, now Patent No. 1,935,790 for Portable electric apparatus, of which application the present application is a continuation in part, I have disclosed an apparatus for carrying batteries or dry-cells about the waist; of the wearerwhich provide currentfor alampor other device, which is detachably supported by a shouldersling which assists in supportingthe-drycells.

One object of the present improvements is to provide an improvedcarrying mechanism for the lamp or other electrically energized device which, in case a lamp is employed, will enable. the wearer to adjust the lamp universally to throw the light in the desired direction and will permit the readyv removal of the lamp from ahandlamp. Anadditional object of the inventionis to pro vide a sling which,'in addition to: providing. an adjustable support for the lamp also :forms a sheath or container forthe flexible conductorcone necting the lamp with the batterieswhereby when the lamp is being carried in its normal position in the sling, the surplus conductor is concealed and out of the way. 1 v 1 Another object of the invention islto provide circuit establishing means for readily connecting fresh batteries in thelamp circuit, or-the circult of other current consuming apparatus which maybe employed in lieu of a lamp when desired.

Other objects of the invention relate to various features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of apparatus embodying the present improvements. Figure 2 is a broken vertical sectional view through a dry-cell container and its associated circuit establishing device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the lamp carrier section of the sling.

the carrier for use as Figure 5 is a broken elevation of a preferred form of buckle for detachably securing the sling sections together. I Figure 6 is a sectional detail view of one of the spring buckle members.

Figure 7 is a plan view illustrating the preferred means for attaching the sling to the battc y co tai er an s w g th lamp and cable pocket in, section on line 7-7 of Figure 1. In the drawing the battery or dry-cell contamer, indi ed n rally by the numbe preferably, is ,of'the type shown and described in my above mentioned application. 1

Thecontainer comprises compartments 11 for dry cells which are hingedto ether and attached to a belt 12 which encircles the wearers body. The compartments have detachable cover plates 1 3 he1.d.in position by thelongitudinal bolts 14 having nuts 15 attheir upper ends. I i Each plate is provided with a T-shaped mem: ber lfiwhichionns acasingforcircuit connectingor; establishing means for connecting the wiseLca'tried by the discs and each pair is connected by a conductor 25. For the purpose of electrically mconnecting the dry-cells together, c onductors:26,;261 are provided, each pair of which has connector. plugs.:27, 2'7 which cooperate with the'sockets or receptacles22. I

a Figure 2 the lefthandxend of the -member 16 is; provided within special .plug 28 having aconductor 28a therein .rwhich electrically connects the adjacent sockets 22 and 24.

The right hand plug 27 of the right hand member 16 as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is connected to a flexible conductor 29 which passes through a recess 30 in the sling section 31. This section is preferably made of flexible material and has an outer sheath 32 stitched or otherwise secured along its edges to the member 31, to form a pocket 33 in which is secured a metal tube 34 as shown in Figure 4. The tube 34 may be secured in position by cementing the same or by means of rivets such as are shown at 35. The forward portion of the upper edge of the tube may be spun or crimped over the upper edge of the sheath 32 as shown at 36,to facilitate placing the lamp handle 37 therein.

The handle 3'? is preferably cylindrical in form and frictionally fits within the tube 34 and has an upwardly'projecting neck 38 to which the lamp 39 is pivotally attached as at 40 to provide for the vertical adjustment of the lamp. The lamp may be swung on a vertical axis to the position desired while in use due to the frictional engagement of the tube 34 with the cylindrical handle 37. It may also be raised and lowered within the limits of the tube as will be apparent.

A switch 40a for controlling the flow of current to the lamp may be provided at any convenient point but is shown as being located on the stem or neck 38.

The cable 29 is of such length that the lamp may be Withdrawn vertically from the tube 34 and used as a hand lamp. When the lamp is replaced, however, the surplus cable is carried in the pocket 33 of the sheath 32 and thus is out of the way. v

The section 31 of the sling is attached to one of the containers 11 preferably by means of a catch 41 having open loops 42 which are adapted to be inserted beneath two'of the nuts 15, of one of the battery containers.

"Ihe upper end of the sling section 31 preferably'carries a catch or hasp 43, preferably formed of resilient or spring metal, and provided with open hooks 43a as shown for engaging spring pressedbuttons 44a secured to the sling section 44. Member 43 is similar in construction to member 41 and as shown in Figure 6, its open loops may be readily-moved into engagement with or disengaged from the spring pressed members 45 of the buttons 44a. 1

The opposite end of the sling section 44 is also provided with a member 41' which has its open loops secured beneath any convenient pair of nuts 15.

It ispreferred to have the members 41 readily detachable as by loosening the nuts 15, so that the ends of the sling can be attached to any other pair of bolts to balance the weight of the battery carrier upon the'sling to suit the comfort of the individual user.

Withv the present improvements fresh batteries can be installed readily first by disconnecting the plates 13 by removing the nuts 15 from the bolts 14, and'then replacing the plates. Since the platescarry the contact arms 18 the circuit of the lamp'will be re-established properly as will be seen.

Inthe use of the apparatus, the battery carrier 10 is'preferably carried on the wearer's side, whereby the sling will pass across his chest where the lamp 39 is in position for'directing the light generally ina forward direction. As the user moves the light moves with him, thus always illuminating his path of travel. I

For special work the lamp may be adjusted on a vertical axis to cast the light to one side, or it may be adjusted on a horizontal axis upon the pivot 40 to cast the light at the desired angle to the horizontal.

The present apparatus is found convenient for use by farmers, miners, and others, and While the invention has been described and illustrated in conjunction with a lamp, it will be apparent that other electricity consumingdevices may be 1 used with the apparatus in lieu of a lamp. I therefore do not wish to be restricted specifically to the modification of the improvements shown and described except as so limited by the appended claims. 1

I claim:

, 1. A portable electric device comprising a shoulder sling and a belt adapted to be placed around the wearers body, a plurality of dry-cell compartments supported thereby, a cover sec 2 tion for each compartment having dry-cell contact members in the lower side thereof and plug-in receptacles on the upper side, conductors having connecting plugs for said receptacles for connecting said dry cells'in circuit with a 2 current energized device, and a carrier on said sling for removably supporting said device.

2. A portable electric device comprising a plurality of flexibly connected battery containers provided with a belt and a shoulder sling for 3 attaching the same to the body of the user, said containers having covers removably bolted thereto, said sling having a carrier for an electrically energized device supplied with current by batteries in said container, and means for securing 3 the ends of said sling to any of said cover bolts.

3. A portable electric device comprising a battery container provided with a belt for attach ing the same tothe body of the user, a shoulder sling attached to said belt, a holder for an 40 electric lamp carried by the forward portion of said sling, and a conductor for supplying current from the battery to the 'lamp, said lamp comprisinga pivotally connected handle and lamp casing whereby the latter can be adjusted angu- 45 larly with respect to the former, said handle and holder being arranged to provide for adjustment of the handle longitudinally and on a longitudinal axis, said casingbeing off-set forwardly from the axis of said handle whereby the lamp can be swung arcuately about the longitudinal axisof the handle through a substantial arc.

CHARLES VANCE DAME. 

